运盐的驴子 The Salt Merchant and His Ass

 

     A PEDDLER drove his Ass to the seashore to buy salt.  His road home lay across a stream into which his Ass, making a false step, fell by accident and rose up again with his load considerably lighter, as the water melted the sack.  The Peddler retraced his steps and refilled his panniers with a larger quantity of salt than before.  When he came again to the stream, the Ass fell down on purpose in the same spot, and, regaining his feet with the weight of his load much diminished, brayed triumphantly as if he had obtained what he desired.  The Peddler saw through his trick and drove him for the third time to the coast, where he bought a cargo of sponges instead of salt.  The Ass, again playing the fool, fell down on purpose when he reached the stream, but the sponges became swollen with water, greatly increasing his load. 

     And thus his trick recoiled on him, for he now carried on his back a double burden. 

    有只驴子驮着盐过河。他的脚一滑，跌倒在河水中，盐在水中都溶化了。他站起来时顿感一身轻松了许多，他很高兴。后来，有一天，他驮着海绵过河，心想再跌倒下去，站起来时定会更轻松。于是，他故意地摔了下去，他没想到海绵是吸水的，因此再也站不起来了，淹死在河里了。

    这是说，有些人聪明反被聪明误，自己害了自己。